Masirah Island, Oman: loggerhead nesting decline and a tourism and commercial project
- Loggerhead track counts on my 9 km index section fell 79%, from 584 in 1985–1996 to 122 in 2008–2016, according to Willson et al. (2020). Frontiers in Marine Science
- Between 1,640 and 1,770 of my turtles were caught a year in artisanal nets, according to Willson et al. (2020). Frontiers in Marine Science
- The number of skiffs stored on my index beaches rose from 32 in 2013 to 482 in 2017, according to Willson et al. (2020). Frontiers in Marine Science
Loggerhead track counts on a 9 km index section of Masirah Island fell 79% between 1985–1996 and 2008–2016, according to a 2020 study. On 12 October 2026 a foundation stone was laid for a RO5.775 million tourism and commercial project on the island.
From 584 tracks (1985–1996) to 122 (2008–2016), Willson et al. (2020). Masirah holds over 90% of the Northwest Indian Ocean population.
Status As of October 2026: a foundation stone was laid on 12 October 2026 for a RO5.775 million tourism and commercial project on Masirah; its distance from nesting beaches and its environmental permit are not on record.
- Loggerheads of Masirah Island — Track counts on the 9 km index section fell 79% (584 to 122); 1,640–1,770 turtles caught a year in artisanal nets; skiff storage on index beaches rose from 32 (2013) to 482 (2017) Frontiers in Marine Science
What happened
Willson et al. (2020), in Frontiers in Marine Science, found that loggerhead track counts on a 9 km index section of Masirah Island fell 79%, from 584 (1985–1996) to 122 (2008–2016). Masirah holds over 90% of the Northwest Indian Ocean loggerhead population. The study gives 55,202 nests a year across 83 km of beach.
The study recorded 1,640–1,770 turtles caught a year in artisanal nets, and skiff storage on the index beaches rose from 32 (2013) to 482 (2017). The authors call bycatch "most likely (but not the only)" cause of the decline. Dr Thuraya Al Sariri of Oman's Environment Authority said in 2020 that "The Authority recognizes the urgency of the situation".
On 12 October 2026, according to Muscat Daily and Gulf News, a foundation stone was laid for a RO5.775 million project on Masirah with a 20-room lodge, more than 40 villas and chalets, a souq and 60,000 m². The two 2026 articles do not mention turtles.
- 1985Start of the track-count series on the 9 km index section: 584 tracks over 1985–1996
- 201332 skiffs stored on the index beaches
- 2016End of the 2008–2016 period with 122 tracks on the index section, 79% below 1985–1996
- 2017482 skiffs stored on the index beaches
- 2020Willson et al. publish the study; the Environment Authority says it recognizes the urgency of the situation
- 2026Foundation stone laid for a RO5.775 million tourism and commercial project (12 October)
What was said
“The Authority recognizes the urgency of the situation”
“most likely (but not the only)”
How it looked
Shown
- A tourism and commercial project on Masirah with a 20-room lodge, more than 40 villas and chalets, a souq and 60,000 m², valued at RO5.775 million.Muscat Daily and Gulf News · Muscat Daily
Recorded
- Loggerhead track counts on a 9 km index section fell 79%, from 584 (1985–1996) to 122 (2008–2016); Masirah holds over 90% of the Northwest Indian Ocean population.
- 55,202 nests a year across 83 km; 1,640–1,770 turtles caught a year in artisanal nets; skiff storage on the index beaches rose from 32 (2013) to 482 (2017).
- A foundation stone was laid on 12 October 2026 for a RO5.775 million project with a 20-room lodge, more than 40 villas and chalets, a souq and 60,000 m².
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
Responses on record
- Environment Authority of Oman (2020): Dr Thuraya Al Sariri said: "The Authority recognizes the urgency of the situation". · Frontiers in Marine Science
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Record
- Insufficient Reported but not independently verified (AGBI): in June 2025 United Real Estate Company of Kuwait signed a 50-year contract with the South Sharqiyah governorate for a tourism complex at RO12,000 a year.
- None on record Not on record: the distance of the 12 October 2026 project from the nesting beaches.
- None on record Not on record: an environmental permit for the project.
- None on record Not on record: any mention of turtles in the 2026 Muscat Daily and Gulf News articles on the project.
- Unclear Unclear: the cause of the decline. The authors call bycatch "most likely (but not the only)" cause.
Did the harm stop?
Willson et al. (2020) record the decline in track counts to 2008–2016 and bycatch and skiff storage up to 2017. The sources reviewed do not report track or nest counts after 2016.
Who paid?
No payment connected to the nesting decline is on record in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Press and investigations
- Muscat Daily report on the launch of a tourism and commercial project on Masirah (12 October 2026)Muscat Daily · 2026-10-12
Researchers
- Willson et al. (2020), article in Frontiers in Marine Science on loggerhead track counts at Masirah IslandFrontiers in Marine Science · 2020